Restoring Sight to the Blind: Neural Imaging with Retinal Prostheses

项目摘要-恢复盲人的视力：使用视网膜假体的神经成像 视网膜假体通过电刺激视网膜中仍然存活的细胞来恢复盲人的视力。 视网膜。这些设备由附着在视网膜上的微刺激器阵列组成，由视频驱动 从眼镜上的摄像头输入。视网膜假体已被证明可以恢复基本的视觉 诸如形状识别和基本导航等功能。然而，患者显示 视觉技能的显著变化，目前达不到预期的视觉能力。 本研究提出的博士后研究重点是解释这些患者局限性 通过研究失明时的感觉重组神经重组 失明使听觉和触觉任务在视觉脑区域中处理。这种类型的 大脑感觉区域的重组被证明是使用耳蜗的关键限制因素。 人工听觉植入物。在本提案的目标1和2中，Noelle Stiles博士将评估失明情况- 在视网膜假体患者中通过神经成像诱导皮质重组和适应， 从而可以更好地选择患者进行视力恢复。 斯泰尔斯博士的博士后工作也集中在研究人工视觉的相互作用 与自然的感觉，如听觉。她的研究已经表明人工视觉 影响听觉定位的方式类似于自然视觉对听觉的影响。在目标3中，她 我将扩大这项研究，以确定是否增强听觉和触觉感知发展 在失明期间，在视力恢复后保留或减少。该项目将提供一个 更完整地了解盲人大脑重组和人工视觉的影响。 目标1将在K99阶段完成（试点数据收集完成）。目标2和3 将继续通过K99和R00阶段，允许同行培训和数据试点。 拟议中的研究旨在为斯泰尔斯博士成功过渡到终身教职做准备- 跟踪教师的位置。她将接受结构神经成像数据收集，处理， 和可视化。她还将接受眼科视网膜成像方面的培训 她的主要导师Vivek R.帕特尔在南加州大学，并在生物医学工程由她的共同导师 教授James D.密歇根大学的Weiland说。所有这些领域都是至关重要的研究视觉 假体.她将接受包括教授在内的咨询委员会的指导。Mark S.亚瑟？胡马云 W. Toga和Yonggang Shi。南加州大学和密歇根州都有视网膜假体植入， 行为测试计划涉及临床医生，工程师和视觉神经科学家，除了 最先进的神经成像设备，使它们成为这项研究的理想地点。

Project Summary – Restoring Sight to the Blind: Neural Imaging with Retinal Prostheses Retinal prostheses restore sight to the blind by electrically stimulating still viable cells in the retina. These devices consist of a microstimulator array attached to the retina that is driven by video input from a glasses-mounted camera. Retinal prostheses have been shown to restore basic visual functions such as the recognition of shapes and rudimentary navigation. However, patients show significant variability in visual skills, and currently fall short of expected visual capabilities. The postdoctoral research proposed in this study focuses on explaining these patient limitations by investigating the sensory reorganization that occurs during blindness. Neural reorganization during blindness enables auditory and tactile tasks to be processed in visual brain regions. This type of reorganization in brain sensory regions was shown to be a key limiting factor in the use of the cochlear implant for artificial audition. In Aims 1 and 2 of this proposal, Dr. Noelle Stiles will evaluate blindness- induced cortical reorganization and adaptation with neural imaging in retinal prosthesis patients, which in turn could allow for better selection of patients for visual restoration. Dr. Stiles’ postdoctoral work is also focused on investigating the interaction of artificial vision with the natural senses, such as audition. Her research has already shown that artificial vision influences auditory localization in ways similar to natural vision’s influence on audition. In Aim 3, she will expand this research to determine whether enhanced auditory and tactile perception developed during blindness are retained or reduced following the restoration of vision. This project will provide a more complete understanding of blind brain reorganization and the effects of artificial vision. Aim 1 will be completed during the K99 phase (pilot data collection is complete). Aims 2 and 3 will continue through the K99 and R00 phases, allowing for fellow training and data piloting. The proposed research is designed to prepare Dr. Stiles for successful transition to a tenure- track faculty position. She will receive training in structural neural imaging data collection, processing, and visualization from Prof. Yonggang Shi. She will also be trained in ophthalmological retinal imaging by her principal mentor Prof. Vivek R. Patel at USC, and in biomedical engineering by her co-mentor Prof. James D. Weiland at the University of Michigan. All of these fields are critical to the study of visual prostheses. She will be mentored by an advisory committee including Profs. Mark S. Humayun, Arthur W. Toga, and Yonggang Shi. Both USC and Michigan have retinal prosthesis implantation and behavioral testing programs involving clinicians, engineers, and visual neuroscientists, in addition to state of the art neuroimaging facilities, making them ideal locations for this research.